Global Scans · Design · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Design thinking will increasingly play a key role in improving systems and customer experiences. Companies will re-learn their approach to innovation and embrace human-centred design principles. Designers will begin to apply knowledge of human interaction, specifically in the area of how we earn trust and respect, to AI systems.

• [New] A new big-data analysis of the U.S. pinpoints how urban design aids the health of city residents - especially when cities provide walking opportunities, greenery, and mixed-use streets with a blend of commercial and residential activity. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] To maximize growth, ORM software providers must broaden their offerings to cover process safety management (PSM), have an open architecture to support greater integrations with industrial systems and incorporate digital twins to visually communicate risk. Default
• [New] Emerging risks and trends impacting LinkedIn careers are rapid changes in job roles, skill requirements, and hiring practices driven by technology, economic shifts, and evolving definitions of professional identity. LinkedIn
• [New] The EU Smart Borders Initiative has allocated substantial capital funding for biometric technology modernization, with implementation expected to generate standardized identity verification protocols across European borders. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The use of artificial intelligence in drug R&D will allow for quicker identification of targets, selection of candidates, and design of clinical trials. tradingkey.com
• [New] IBM has unveiled a new chip design which it says could enable manufacturers to cram 100 billion transistors on a silicon chip the size of a fingernail. BBC News
• [New] Alternative risk transfer (ART) solutions provide buyers with tools to reshape data center risk and create insurable structures where traditional capacity falls short, with insurance-linked securities emerging as a primary strategy. Artemis.bm - The Catastrophe Bond, Insurance Linked Sec
• [New] YouTube will be banned for under-16s, but YouTube Kids - a version of the video-sharing app designed to be safe for children - will not be included. BBC News
• [New] Proofpoint announced a unified architecture that unifies gateway - and API-based email protection, reflecting demand for a coordinated view of pre-delivery and post-delivery risk. Mordor Intelligence
• [New] AI data centers alone are projected to consume 8 to 12% of global electricity by 2030, and buildings that optimise energy intelligently will hold a structural cost advantage. Acquaint Softtech
• [New] The proposed mm-wave MIMO antenna with a shared ground offers a more mechanically robust antenna design, which could be useful for multilayer PCBs or mobile / wearable 5G and beyond applications. Nature
• [New] The new Explorer Scout badges, part of the Scout movement's first major overhaul in almost 25 years, will require 14 - to 18-year olds to explore how digital communities shape opinion, create online campaigns, investigate digital footprints and design toolkits to help others stay safe online. The Guardian
• [New] Overall, Identiverse 2026 underscored that the next phase of identity security will be defined by how effectively organizations extend governance to autonomous systems, unify identity data across silos, and operationalize identity intelligence in real time. Forrester
• [New] Starting in 2028, property owners with buildings larger than 50,000 square feet will have to track and report their emissions for the previous year. ecoRI News
• [New] Buildings larger than 25,000 square feet start tracking in 2030. ecoRI News
• [New] Microsoft-heavy environments will need AI controls that integrate with identity, compliance, endpoint security, and productivity data rather than sitting in a separate dashboard. Windows Forum
• [New] Taoglas plans to expand the GVLB208 family later in 2026 with an active SMD variant with integrated active electronic components, designed for automated high-volume manufacturing. Connector and Cable Assembly Supplier
• [New] With more than 20% of global semiconductor design engineers based in India, EDA demand is poised for accelerated growth through 2033. Persistence Market Research
• [New] One of the newest additions to Inditex's 5,456-strong store portfolio is budget fashion and lifestyle brand Lefties, which has signed for a third UK store at Gateshead's Metrocentre, adding to the first two UK stores it will open later in 2026. TheIndustry.fashion
• The Cloud Security Alliance ranks misconfiguration as the number one threat to cloud computing, with identity and access management close behind. Swif.ai
• 'Zero-emission' will become the standard for new buildings owned by public bodies from 2028 and for all new buildings from 2030. Energy

Last updated: 06 July 2026